MUSKEGON COUNTY — The shooting victim’s mother made a courtroom plea to stop the wave of handguns flooding the Muskegon area.

“They keep selling these guns to these kids. But they got to draw the line somewhere,” Tealace French said. “These guns shoot our kids.”

French is the mother of Demetrius “Duke” Smith. Smith died at the age of 23 early Dec. 12, 2009, after being shot in a Muskegon Heights home. Smith, who was unarmed, had broken the shooter’s nose in a fight and was standing over him when he was shot.

Tuesday was the sentencing of Omar Rashad Rawls, 30, of Muskegon for manslaughter and multiple gun counts. He pleaded no contest last month.

Muskegon County 14th Circuit Judge James M. Graves Jr. gave Rawls the maximum sentence he could under state guidelines: 12 1/2 to 30 years in prison for manslaughter, plus a consecutive two years for possessing a firearm while committing a felony, with credit for 381 days already served in jail. Rawls also got two concurrent prison sentences of two to 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon.

Rawls was sentenced as a third-time habitual offender, which doubled his maximum prison sentences. He had two prior felonies, both nonviolent: a 2003 conviction for marijuana possession, double penalty, and a 1999 conviction for cocaine possession.

In addition, Graves ordered Rawls to pay restitution of $5,000 to cover the family’s funeral costs.

The shooting happened at about 2:30 a.m. in the kitchen of 359 E. Columbia, a house police identified as an alleged “blind pig” where gambling and after-hours alcohol and food sales were going on.

According to forensic evidence, Rawls was lying on his back and fired upward. The fatal shot struck Smith in the back of a leg and traveled into his midsection.

According to witness statements, the fight broke out after Rawls allegedly said something disrespectful to a woman in the kitchen. Smith punched Rawls in the face, smashing his nose and knocking him to the floor, and was standing over him when the heavily bleeding Rawls pulled a handgun from his pants waistband and fired.

Speaking in court before sentencing, Rawls expressed remorse to the victim’s family. “I cried day and night because of the pain I brought to many, including myself,” he said. “I’ve been to 10 funerals ... I understand the depth of pain and grief (death) causes. ... I’m sorry for the pain I caused to you.”

Rawls’ attorney, Terry J. Nolan, called the manslaughter plea a “fair resolution” of the case and said he could have made a case for self-defense if he had taken it to trial, arguing that Smith “provoked and started this assault.”

Nolan said Rawls, “a very gentle man,” was carrying the gun for protection after having been “jumped and attacked” at least three times on the streets of Muskegon Heights. Referring to news accounts of many shootings in Muskegon Heights and downtown Muskegon, Nolan said, “If I lived in those areas I might be tempted to carry a gun.”

Joseph J. Bader, chief trial attorney for the Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office, argued that Rawls deserved the maximum sentence under state guidelines. “The reason this crime occurred is because Omar Rawls, a felon, chose to carry a gun and chose to use it,” Bader said.